From 4 to 6 June, the first of a series of workshops on sensitizing managers from the Bureau of Corrections and Rehabilitation (BCR) on strategic planning was organized by UNMIL Corrections Advisory Unit(CAU). The workshop brought together 30 participants, including seven women. This included the Assistant Minister of Rehabilitation and Superintendents from all correctional facilities in the country except for one who was unable to leave his duty station due to a severe lack of staffing.

As BCR does not currently have any female Superintendents in corrections facilities, CAU encouraged BCR to select some female deputy superintendents and supervisors as well as trainers so that all discussions on planning for the organization in the next five years will have inputs from female staff members as well. The goal of having 20 per cent female participants identified as possible future leaders in the organization was viewed positively by the management team.

This first part of the project aimed to sensitize all managers on the issue of strategic planning. It introduced the basic concepts of planning and discussions were held on why it is important for all strategic plans to be drafted through an inclusive process where managers at all levels  understand the vision and objectives that the organization aims to achieve and how each of them can contribute to their successful implementation.

The workshop included several interactive sessions where participants divided themselves into groups to plan for realistic and achievable objectives to highlight in the next strategic plan which is to be drafted by BCR for the period 2014 -2018. All participants committed to continue engaging their respective staff teams at the regional levels during the ongoing “assignment phase” after which the group will start prioritizing listed needs and allowing BCR headquarters to use the information in the drafting of the strategic plan.

The previous strategic plan (2009 – 2013) was not sufficiently operationalized and this is believed to be due to the fact that managers lacked the sense of ownership of the plan coupled with the lack of available resources to implement some of the activities. As the financial situation remains a challenge, participants recognized the need to include both visions of where they wish to see their Bureau in five years but also some actions which can be taken within existing resources to make prisons safer, secure and humane places for prisoners to live, and staff to work in.

The workshop reviewed the prior strategic plan and also looked at how BCR fits in the Agenda for Transformation 2030 plan. Participants reiterated their resolve to strive towards the BCR’s vision of “Rehabilitation and Reintegration”.